Thirteen Years
by mamaXunicorn
Summary: They've been separated for thirteen years but on their son's birthday, a flame might be rekindled.


_**A/N: I know I have several other SwanThiefFire fanfictions to be working on but this idea got stuck in my head and wouldn't get out. This is my ideal situation on the show where everyone is included and happy. So I hope you enjoy this SwanThiefFire family fluff! **_

* * *

Henry stepped out of the school with a smile on his face. So far the day had gone wonderfully for him. His mother (Emma) made him breakfast and drove him to school on her way into work. All his friends (who now were aging at the same time as him) wished him a happy birthday and even those few students he didn't know as well did too. He had noticed that the last couple of years, everyone seemed to be treating him a lot nicer. He did have the most powerful people in town under his thumb, Regina the queen as his mother, Snow White and Prince Charming - the beloved royals - as his grandparents, and even Rumplestiltskin, who most of the town still feared, as his other grandfather.

Once he left the elementary school, more of the kids tried to befriend him and he was grateful to have company in school but he only was really close with three other kids: Grace, Hansel and Gretel. He spent lunchtime with them and they were all a bundle of laughs as usual.

The day got even better when, because it was a friday, his teacher didn't give the class that much homework to do.

So Henry was indeed having a great day and wondered what was in store for him when he got home. He tried to weasel his presents out of Emma at breakfast but she only smirked and shook her head telling him it'd have to wait until later.

His smile widened as he spotted the yellow bug parked in front of the school and started to make his way over there.

He paused and turned around when he felt someone lightly touch his arm. Grace stood behind him, smiling sweetly. "Happy birthday again, Henry."

"Thanks Grace." He grinned back at her and she ducked her head shyly, a tinge of pink staining her cheeks. She fiddled with her dress for a moment and then giggled a goodbye as she took off toward the bus.

Henry blinked after her and then shook his head. Girls are strange, he concluded and then continued on his way to the car. As he neared it and peered in through the window he realized it was not his mother behind the wheel.

He pulled open the passenger side door. "Dad? What are you doing here?"

Neal smirked as Henry climbed into the seat. "What do you think I'm doing here? I'm picking you up kid." He reached over and affectionately punched his arm. "Happy birthday, Henry."

Henry reached over and lightly punched him back. "Thanks Dad."

Neal chuckled and then looked out the window to the line of buses and nodded toward them. "So uh...you and Grace huh?"

Henry furrowed his brow. "What about me and Grace?"

A smirk spread across his face as he stared back into Henry's innocent eyes and then shook his head. "Nothing, kid." He leaned back into his seat and started the car. He let out a quiet laugh as he snuck a glance back over to Henry who still looked confused and then pulled out into the road.

"Where are we going?" Henry asked as he looked out the window.

"To the stables." Neal answered and Henry looked back at him with a grin.

"Really?"

Neal nodded. "Really. Your grandfather, David, wants to ride with you for a little while."

"Will you ride with us?"

Neal looked over to him. "Do you want me to?"

Henry cast him a look. "Of course! You're my dad."

"Yeah...you just want me there because I'm not as good a rider as you or David so you can laugh at me." Neal responded only half-joking but at Henry's silence and sheepish grin he gasped and reached over to lightly punch his arm again.

"I'm not going to laugh at you." Henry finally said with a soft chuckle. "And you've gotten better."

Neal huffed quietly but then smiled. "Yeah I'll stay. Just don't leave me in the dust."

"I won't." Henry promised but then shrugged. "Can't say the same for Gramps though."

"Yah." Neal scoffed. "I think I'm just beginning to get on his good side."

Henry smirked. "He'll come around...he's just protecting his daughter."

"I know." Neal sighed. "Emma trusts me again...I think but her father is going to need a little bit more convincing."

"You've stuck around this long." Henry offered. "I don't think you're going to leave."

"Are you kidding me?" Neal smirked as he looked over to him. "You can't get rid of me that easily. I'm here for good."

Henry smiled brightly. "Then that's all that matters."

Neal smiled back at him as he pulled into the small parking lot near the stables. Henry was out of the car within seconds and Neal chuckled as he watched the boy bounce excitedly outside the car. Neal stepped out and locked the car behind him before walking over to Henry. He slipped an arm around his shoulder and the two made their way toward the stables. Once inside, Henry bolted away from his father's hold and made his way to his horse's stall, immediately reaching over to pet his nose.

"Hey boy." Henry greeted kindly and the horse grunted and nuzzled Henry's palm.

"Henry!" David emerged from a stall just a few from his with a warm smile and once he was close enough, ruffled his hair affectionately. "Glad you're here and happy birthday."

"Thanks Gramps!" Henry grinned as David pulled him against his side. He looked up and his smile faltered only slightly at Neal. It was true it had been just under two years since they first met and Neal was brought back into his daughter's life. At first he didn't trust the man as far as he could throw him, being both the man who left his daughter broken hearted and Rumplestiltskin's son. It took time but as Emma started to warm up to him again so did he but there was still that bit of wariness that came from being a pretty new father to a daughter he loved more than the world.

"Neal." He greeted politely with a curt nod.

"David." Neal greeted back with a warm smile.

Henry glanced up to his grandfather. "I asked him to come along, is that okay?"

The warm smile returned to the prince's face as he rubbed Henry's arm affectionately. "Of course it is." He looked back to Neal. "You remember how to get a saddle on?"

Neal smiled wryly. "Yes that much I do."

"Good." David smirked and motioned to the stall beside Neal. "You can take Allegro."

Neal turned to the stall and saw a big, beautiful, brown stallion staring back at him with even bigger brown eyes. He smiled and reached over to pet its nose and the horse whinnied happily.

The three men all set up their horses and led them out of the stables to the designated trail leading into the woods. They climbed onto their horses, David in front with Neal and Henry beside each other behind him.

"Are you sure its a good idea that he's in front?" Neal whispered over to Henry who grinned.

David cast a look over his shoulder, "I heard that." He chuckled as he dug his heels into the horse's side and quickly led him in a circle around Henry and Neal. "Just try to keep up." He smirked at them before heeling the horse again until it took off in a gallop.

Henry continued to grin over at his father whose eyes were now narrowed in determination. He huffed and kicked the horse, holding onto the reins as he took off after David. Henry shook his head and lightly rolled his eyes, kicking his own horse and following after his grandpa and father.

* * *

They followed the trail all along the edges of Storybrooke. They had long since fixed the secondary curse that prevented them from leaving but none of them ever liked to.

They were on the trail for just over an hour, David having way too much fun messing with Neal and Henry enjoying all of it. Sometimes David would spare him and they'd spend a little while on a nice, relaxing trot but it was always David who once again picked up the speed.

They arrived back at the stables, Neal trailing miserably behind Henry and David. The two had decided to race back to the stables and Neal officially gave up in trying to compete. By the time he did arrive back at the stables, Henry and David were already placing the horses back in their stalls.

"Get lost, Neal?" David chuckled as he entered the stables.

"Ha ha." Neal led Allegro back into his stall and began to take everything off. "Did you two have fun?"

"I did." David smirked. "Henry?" He looked down at the boy and Henry smiled.

"Yep!"

Neal cast a soft glare at them from behind Allegro and they both broke out into laughter. David walked over and clapped Neal on the shoulder. "We were just having a little fun. Don't take it personally."

Neal let a small smile cross his lips as he nodded. "I never do."

David huffed a small laugh and patted his shoulder once more, before leaning in to whisper quietly. "I'll see you over there?"

Neal nodded once. "Let me know if everything is ready." He whispered back.

David nodded in return and cast a look over to Henry who was once again busy paying attention to his horse. "And take him to shower first."

Neal chuckled. "Good idea."

David smiled at him softly and then turned to call out to Henry. "I'll see you later Henry!"

"Bye Gramps!" Henry called back, poking his head out of the stall and waving with a smile. David smiled and waved back, turning with a pointed look at Neal and then walked out of the stables.

Neal grabbed everything and hung it back in its proper place in the stables and then walked over to Henry. "Ready to go?"

Henry looked up from brushing his horse. "Where are we going?"

"Well first I'm going to take you back to my place so you can shower and change." He sent Henry a knowing look and Henry grinned sheepishly. "Then Regina wants to have dinner with you."

"Oh! Okay!" Henry smiled and gave the horse one last long brush and then moved out of the stall, kissing the horses nose before locking the stall.

He hung the brush back up on its hook and then turned to Neal with a smile. "Ready!"

"Alright," Neal smiled as he walked over to Henry and slipped his arm around him and then shook his head and let out a low whistle. "Yeah kid, you really do need that shower."

Henry made a face as he lightly shoved at his father's side and Neal laughed as they walked out together.

* * *

It took another forty five minutes for both of them to take showers and change (and Neal trying to convince the now thirteen year old to wear something a little more fancy than jeans and a t-shirt). While Henry was getting dressed, Neal received that text from David.

In the few months prior to Henry's birthday, he, Emma, David, Snow and Regina were all in cahoots planning a surprise birthday party for Henry. They didn't think they'd be able to pull it off what with Henry being the clever boy he is but they all had their hand in sneaking around and so far it seemed Henry had no clue.

The horse ride was a set up to get Henry out of the town so Emma could gather all of the family and friends to meet at Regina's mansion where they all agreed would be the best place for such a big occasion. The text that David sent him confirmed that everyone who was supposed to be there (which was most of the town) was there and Henry could come.

Neal looked up as he heard the door creaking open and a smile broke across his lips. He held back a soft chuckle at how terribly uncomfortable Henry looked in those clothes.

Henry frowned at him as he walked over and he finally let that chuckle go as he reached out to brush a few strands of his hair into place. "It's only for one evening, Henry. I promise you won't even know you're wearing it."

Henry sighed heavily and Neal raised his eyebrows in amusement. "You don't want to look nice for your mother? She's going to love seeing you like this."

"I know." Henry mumbled and shifted uncomfortably. Neal grinned and wrapped his arm around his shoulders, guiding him to the front door. He grabbed his jacket, Henry's and his keys and they left the apartment and headed down to the car.

Neal smiled and shook his head slowly as Henry shifted in his seat on the drive over there. "You didn't dress up much growing up did you?"

"I did." Henry shrugged. "My mom was mayor and took me to a bunch of different fancy dinners and stuff but I never liked it."

Neal laughed. "Yeah me neither."

That put a smile on Henry's face and Neal reached over to pat his leg before returning both hands to the wheel.

They were at Regina's mansion in a matter of minutes and Neal was impressed there was no sign of anything going on inside.

Henry got out first followed by Neal and Henry furrowed his brow, casting a confused look over the hood to his father.

"I'm going to walk you up." Neal explained and Henry narrowed his eyes curiously but Neal only smiled and chuckled to himself as he headed up the walkway, Henry following skeptically behind.

As soon as Henry was beside him, Neal knocked on the door and there was complete silence on the other end until Regina opened the door halfway, blocking the entrance with her body. A smile lit up her face as she took in the sight of Henry, all dressed up and a small smile on his lips. "Happy birthday, Henry." She cooed and slipped out the door to embrace him for a quick moment and then pulled back and placed her hands on his shoulders. "You look very handsome."

"Thanks mom." Henry smiled back. Regina shot a quick glance up to Neal and they shared a quick nod before Regina slipped back into the door. Behind her back she gave a quick signal to everyone waiting.

"Come on in." She smiled as she pushed the door open and Henry's eyes widened at the sight of everyone gathered in the foyer and all at once they shouted, "Surprise!"

Henry gaped at the crowd and then looked back at Regina and Neal who were both grinning at him. He looked back to the crowd and spotted Emma and his grandparents in front of everyone, smiling just as wide.

"This is for me?" He asked as he stepped into the house.

"Of course." Regina said from behind him. "Who else would it be for?"

Henry shrugged lightly as he climbed up the few steps and looked around the room seeing all his friends from school and most of the town. He broke out into a grin as Emma walked over to him. "Happy birthday, kid."

Henry threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly and then moved to do the same to everyone around him. "Who planned this?" He asked.

"We all did." Snow answered with a smile. "Well by all I mean, David and I, and all your parents."

Henry looked around to each one of them and hugged them all again. "Thank you!"

"It's your birthday." Regina smiled as she tapped his nose. "You deserve it."

Henry shared a smile with her and then ran over to greet his friends who were all giddy from holding in the secret for so long.

"The place looks great." Neal commented as he walked up to Emma, Snow and David.

"It should." Emma responded with a smirk. "It took hours of working our asses off. Who knew decorating a mansion would be so difficult."

Neal smirked at her and her smile widened bringing a little twinkle into her eyes. It was a little something Neal had been noticing the last several months, especially if he was smiling at her. It was what gave him hope and was giving him the courage to see if they could try to be together again.

"Snow mostly planned it out though." Emma turned to her mother with a warm smile. "She's a wonderful interior decorator."

A grin lit up Snow's face at her daughter's compliment. "Well I have planned a lot of balls in my day."

"Yes and they were always the best in the land." David said slipping his arm around his wife.

"Oh stop it." Snow replied, lightly nudging his side but a light blush coated her cheeks as she then leaned into him.

"It's the truth!" He kissed the side of her head before looking at Emma. "Emma, you would have loved it."

Emma half smiled and hummed. "And wear one of those big, puffy ball gowns that all the princesses dress in? No thank you."

Neal shrugged lightly from beside her. "I think you'd look gorgeous in one of those." He sucked in a breath and bit the inside of his cheek as all three pairs of eyes turned on him. Emma's head was turned skeptically but there was a hint of flattery in her eyes and a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Snow was biting on her lip softly, watching them both as she tried to contain her smile and David had his brow raised, his stare almost burning a hole into his head.

Neal cleared his throat. "I'm just saying."

Emma pressed her lips together and brushed it off with a small laugh. Snow briefly let the smile cross her lips before returning to a neutral expression and David kept a lingering stare on Neal for a moment until the conversation took a different turn.

Mr. Gold, Belle and a few others joined them and the party started without a hitch. Henry and his friends disappeared into another room to do more thirteen year old friend activities while his parents and grandparents circumnavigated the room, taking turns talking to every guest who was there.

It was about an hour and half into the party when Regina called them all into the dining room for dinner which was of course, Henry's favorite and Regina's legacy, lasagna.

The main table was set up for Henry and his friends and his immediate family while another table was set up for the other guests. The room was filled with joyful chatter and laughter the whole meal with Henry clearly loving being the center of attention.

After the meal, Henry and the other kids disappeared again and Snow and Emma went into the kitchen to help Regina clean up. David went over to talk to Archie and Marco and that left Neal with his father and Belle.

He enjoyed a light conversation with them, all three of them smiling as they discussed the party and the meal. After a little while he saw Snow come out from the kitchen and go over to talk to Ruby and Regina crossed the room to go check on Henry and his friends. His brow furrowed slightly as he frowned, watching for Emma and completely tuning out the conversation he was in the middle of.

"Bae?"

"Hm?" Neal quickly snapped back to attention, looking over at his father.

"Is everything alright?" Gold asked in concern. "You seem distracted."

"What? No, yeah I'm fine." He gave them a small, reassuring smile and then pointed toward the kitchen. "I'll be right back." He nodded to them and walked into the kitchen, frowning at the lack of Emma. He explored the back of the house until he spotted her through the back window, standing out on the back porch by herself.

He opened the back door and silently slipped in beside her, leaning his arms against the railing, mirroring her stance. "Hey."

Emma jumped slightly and turned her head, her face relaxing once she saw him. "Hey."

He cocked his head and let a small smile grace his lips. "What are you doing out here?"

She shrugged softly and looked back out into the now darkened sky. "It was getting a little stuffy in there. I needed some air."

He nodded and followed her gaze to the sky. It was a rather clear night making the stars and moon twinkle bright above them. They just stood there silently for a good minute or two before Neal once again turned to look at her. "So," He started and Emma slowly turned to him, raising her brow inquisitively. "Our kid is thirteen."

Emma scoffed and looked down for a second. "I know. It's hard to believe its been that long."

"Yeah." He agreed. "Time flies by."

Emma smirked. "Says Mr. I - spent - a - few- centuries - in - Neverland."

Neal laughed and shook his head. "It's different here and when you've lived that long thirteen years is nothing."

Emma smiled and nodded her head. "I guess that's true."

"It also doesn't help we've only known him for a couple years." Neal continued.

"Also true." Emma said and then chuckled softly. "I bet Regina is feeling awfully nostalgic."

He smiled and nodded his agreement and they shared a lingering look on each other and silence once again fell over them as they looked back out at the stars.

After another several moments, Neal slowly turned his head to look at Emma and a small smile spread across his face. He had meant what he said before that she would look gorgeous as a princess at a ball back in their homeland but she looked just as stunning in the simple dress she was wearing that night. Especially with the light breeze tussling her blonde waves around her shoulders and the small but contented smile on her lips as she stared out at the sky. Every time he looked at her he could see the young woman he had fallen in love with all those years ago but he also saw the beautiful adult she had matured into and he loved her all the more.

"Do you remember where we were?" He suddenly asked softly and she blinked, her brow furrowing as she looked at him.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he continued. "Thirteen years and nine months ago?"

"Neal!" She gasped and playfully shoved at his arm and he laughed.

"What?"

Emma shook her head and rolled her eyes slightly but didn't bother to hide the smile on her lips. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been thinking about that too but she'd be damned if she actually told him that.

"It was the motel room, wasn't it?" He smirked as he nudged her lightly and her smile widened for a second before it completely faded and she sighed as she looked down.

"Emma?" His smile instantly dropped and his brow pressed together in concern.

Emma shook her head slowly as she looked up at him. "What are we doing, Neal?"

"Talking? I was attempting to flirt..."

"Exactly." She responded quickly and turned to face him with a frown. "What the hell are we doing? What he had back then...it's gone."

He frowned as he straightened up. "Come on, you know that's not true."

Emma just shook her head and glanced down at the floor. "We broke up..."

"No we didn't." Neal cut her off quickly. "I left you and its my fault that we were separated for so long, I know that. But you and I both know that it wasn't because of us and it wasn't because I didn't love you." He took another step closer to her and her breath hitched as she looked up at him. "We were perfect together, Emma." He continued softly.

She swallowed thickly. "Yeah." She whispered. "We _were." _

"And we still can be."

She closed her eyes and turned her body to face the railing and gripped onto it tightly.

"Emma." He said softly as he came up beside her. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't still feel something for you. I mean," He scoffed lightly and shook his head, "I left Tamara for you."

Emma visibly winced. "Don't say that." She whispered.

"It's the truth!" He responded. "What I had with her was, at one point, real but it could never compare to anything I feel for you."

Emma turned to him sharply, her eyes slightly wide. "What do you want me to say, Neal? That we can just pick up where we left off? We can't do that!"

"No, we can't." He agreed as his eyes locked onto hers. "But we can start over, discover each other again. I'm different than I was thirteen years ago and so are you but that connection between us is still there and you can't deny that you feel it too."

Emma sucked in a breath and bit down softly on her lip and shook her head slowly.

"Emma..." He whispered and her eyes widened slightly. "We've been dancing around each other since New York. I can see it in your eyes, I can see it in your smile every time you look at me. It's there, Emma. What is holding you back?"

Despite herself she found her lip starting to quiver, her eyes starting to water and her voice broke as she spoke. "I can't be hurt again."

His eyes widened slightly and that feeling of dread and guilt tightened his stomach. He shook his head slowly as he whispered sincerely, "I'm not going to hurt you again."

She sniffed quietly and furiously tried to blink back her tears. "I want to believe you, I do..."

"Then do." He took a step toward her putting less and less space between their bodies. "We've been through so much together the last couple of years and I haven't left. You know the reason I left you all those years ago and perhaps it was the wrong decision but its different now. No matter what happens, no matter what they try to throw at us, I'm never going to leave your side. I've made peace with my father, I have a good relationship with my son and after all these years, I've found you. Why would I ever leave that behind?" He lifted his hand to her cheek just in time to catch a falling tear. "You are one of the bravest people I have ever met. You've faced dragons and ogres and evil sorceresses and countless other insane, magical beings. If the only reason you don't want to give us another try is because you're afraid of getting your heart broken again...take a leap of faith. Let me fix what I broke so long ago." He gently caressed his thumb across her cheek.

Emma swallowed and blinked quickly as she let out a shuddering breath but her eyes never left his. He smiled warmly and sincerely and lifted his other hand to her other cheek, wiping away a few more tears.

"Is that the only reason?" He asked quietly. "We can take this as slow as you need it to be until you trust me but if you still love me, if you still feel about me the way I feel about you, we'd both miss something amazing by not trying again."

Emma closed her eyes and leaned into his palm almost subconsciously. His touch was warm and familiar and she was drawn into it completely.

"Emma." He whispered and as her eyes fluttered open she gasped at how close he was. His fingers lightly gripped the sides of her face and her breath caught in her chest as his lips met hers. Her eyes widened for a moment and then once again fluttered closed losing herself to his kiss. Her hands, which had been frozen to her sides, slowly moved to rest on his waist and her fingers lightly gripped onto his shirt. The kiss drew on for only a couple more seconds but it was the most overwhelming kiss of her life. Every memory she had of Neal, good and bad, came rushing into her mind. Her heart took off racing and the feeling she was trying to suppress since she first tackled him to the ground of Manhattan bubbled up inside her until it escaped in a low whimper.

That was when Neal pulled back and when she finally did open her eyes she was almost blown away by the pure love and concern in his eyes. No one had ever looked at her like that before or after Neal and she knew no one ever would and no one would ever make her feel the way she felt looking back at him.

"You can't tell me you didn't feel that." He said softly. She sucked in her lower lip and her heart skipped a beat at the taste of him still lingering there. The logical part of her was telling her no, that Neal had hurt her once before and she was only going to get herself into trouble if she went back to him. But there was something she learned from living in Storybrooke amongst the fairy tale characters and that was love is the most important thing a person could have. Love for your parents, love for your child, love for your friends and love for your partner. Although she struggled with the fact at first, she eventually came to accept that she was the product of true love. Her parents believed in it, almost everyone in the town believed in true love and that there was that one person in the whole entire universe who you belonged with. Sometimes she felt it was all a ridiculous notion but there were the other times, rare times, when she was with Neal that she thought it wasn't so ridiculous after all. She had learned to forgive him a while ago but the wall around her heart was still there but Neal was stubborn and he kept trying to find a crack in that wall and Emma realized, as she stared up at him now, he had finally found it.

A slow smile began to spread across her face and there was a visible flicker of hope in his eyes as he began to smile back. She let out a breath and nodded softly. "I hope you know..." She started with a twinkle in her eye. "That my father is very handy with a sword."

His smile widened until his eyes crinkled in delight. "I'm aware."

"And he won't hesitate to use it on you." She continued as he started to lean into her again.

"Oh he won't need to." He whispered and a shiver ran up her spine as his breath ghosted across her lips.

"Good." She whispered as she smiled.

"I'm going to kiss you now."

She eyed him and grinned as she slipped her hands onto his chest and her smile was the only permission he needed to seal the distance between them. Slowly her arms slipped around his neck as his wandered to her back and gripped her tightly against him. Their lips moved together in a perfect melody that even thirteen years of separation couldn't forget. She was still terrified of what was to come but that feeling almost went away as she got lost in the feeling of his kiss. She felt eighteen again and if she didn't think too hard it'd almost be like they were back in Portland, living out of the yellow bug.

No, this was better, she realized. Even with all the pain Neal had caused her in the past, it had led her to this town, the only place she had had truly felt home. She had found her parents, she made true friends, she had Henry and she never would have thought Neal being back in her life would make her feel as complete as it did. She was older and wiser now and their life was significantly better than it had been when they were thieves. She had a family now and she had Neal. The man who broke her heart but never let it go.

The kiss only lasted a little bit longer than the last one and went only as far as Emma led it, Neal not wanting to push her. When she pulled away with a smile and looked at him through bright eyes he knew everything would be alright. Emma would need time and he'd give her all the time in the world just to see that smile on her face.

He smiled back at her and he gently, intimately touched her forehead with his.

"Are we really going to do this?" Emma asked breathlessly and Neal pulled back to look down at her.

"I want to." He answered, his stomach dropping as he wondered if she was doubting already. Then a smile crossed her lips and she tightened her arms around his neck and all his fears faded away.

She let out a laugh and dropped head to his chest for a long moment and then pulled away, shaking her head, the smile still planted on her lips. "This is insane."

"Why?" He asked, turning his head, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Because its you and its me and after everything we've been through..."

"We wind up together again." He finished for her with a grin and then shrugged. "If you ask me, thats exactly how it should be. You and me. The son of the Dark One and the daughter of True Love."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Now you just make it sound tacky."

"Hey, there's nothing tacky about this." She raised her brow pointedly and he relented. "Alright it's a little tacky but we literally come from a land of fairytales. I think we can be a little tacky."

She hummed quietly and slid her hands down to rest on his chest, feeling his heart pounding beneath her fingertips. "Neal?"

"Yes?"

Her face softened and grew a little serious as she locked onto his eyes. She tapped her fingers nervously against his chest and his brow furrowed. "I want to be with you and its taking all of my courage to admit that. Because you're right, I am scared. I am scared of the hold you have on my heart and if I get into this and let myself love you again..."

He frowned and drew her against his chest, holding onto her tightly and she closed her eyes, burying herself there. "You can trust me, Emma." He whispered against her hair. "I love you and I've never stopped. I thought I lost you for good when I let you go but somehow you came back into my life and if you're willing to give me that second chance I'm not going to let that go. They'll have to tear me away before I leave you again."

A small smile tugged at her lips and her arms surrounded him, holding him just as tight. There was no turning back now and though the thought scared her she didn't want it any other way.

* * *

Henry stepped out into the hallway and looked around. He had been with his friends the last couple of hours and was having the best time. It was only when Snow called them into the dining room for cake did he notice his parents weren't anywhere to be seen. Snow said she'd go look for them but he volunteered as he hadn't seen them since dinner.

He wandered the hallways searching every room and frowning as he found each room empty. He just passed the back window to check the basement when he spotted two figures standing outside. Even in the darkness his mother's blonde hair stuck out like a sore thumb. As he approached the back door he froze, his eyes widening slightly as he took in their positions.

Their backs were facing him as they leaned up against the railing but they were pressed close together with little to no space between them and their heads were turned towards each other and they wore matching heart warming smiles.

He almost didn't want to disturb them. Ever since he first met his father he always secretly hoped they'd get back together. And over the last two years he noticed glances and smiles and his hopes grew more and more. He couldn't know for sure but they never had stood so close to each other before or looked so stupidly happy. Henry could say it was a safe bet his parents had rekindled their love. A grin spread across his face that this should happen on his birthday and he waited another minute before opening the door.

"Mom? Dad?" He called out to them and they jumped apart, turning to face him with wide eyes. Henry tried to suppress a grin at their deer-in-headlights expression.

"Henry?" Emma questioned after clearing her throat.

"It's cake time." He pointed over his shoulder into the house.

"We'll be right there, kid." Neal answered and Henry smirked knowingly, eyeing them for a moment before nodding and going back into the house.

Emma let out a breath and shook her head. "He knows."

"Yeah." Neal laughed. "It's pointless to try and hide anything from that kid."

"We did pretty well with the party." She retorted.

"A surprise birthday party and his parents getting back together are a little bit far apart on Henry's wish spectrum."

An odd looked crossed Emma's face as if she almost couldn't believe what he said was actually true. "Yes." She mumbled and bit down on her lip for a moment before shaking her head and looking back at Neal with a small smile. "Do you think we should tell him? I'm sure he'd love to actually hear it confirmed."

Neal smiled. "Let him have his cake first." He then walked over to stand by her side and slipped his hand into hers, intwining their fingers together. Emma nodded in agreement and smiled as she squeezed his hand.

"Let's go celebrate our son's thirteenth birthday."

A grin spread across his face as they walked in the house hand-in-hand for the first time in thirteen years.


End file.
